Her Wings
by Night Owl 93
Summary: She had wings, but they were stolen from her by the one she loved. Heartbroken, Maleficent wandered the plains before isolating herself in the ruins of a castle. There, she met an old ghost from her past. With his guidance, she rose from the ashes to become the Mistress Of All Evil and seek revenge on the ones who betrayed her. -continuation of 'Her Horns'-
1. Chapter 1

Her back still burned. She spent hours tromping through the plains, using her staff, one she had magically grown from a measly twig, to keep her on her feet. She needed it to keep her legs from buckling under her from the pain. Now she could walk upright without it if she wished, but she didn't dare discard it; she was sure that if she did, she would collapse. Her legs were sore from the endless walking, the muscles unaccustomed to this much use. She never depended on them so until now. The burning tightness in her thighs and calves dually served as a distraction from the searing stinging in her back, if only by a little.

She couldn't return to the Moors, not yet. Maybe not ever. She wouldn't be able to handle the stares at the cauterized nubs on her back where her wings had once been, nor the inquiries as to what happened to them. Most of all, she could never face her aunt Ulla. What would _she _say? She would most certainly scold her for her poor judgment. Or maybe she would laugh at her naiveté. Or worse, she would have her exiled from the Moors forever, never to live with her fellow Faeries again.

All those things would hurt, but nothing in the world could ever compare to the agony she felt now. Not just in her back, but her heart. She loved him, and she thought he loved her too. She trusted him. She thought he was different. But it was all a lie. He betrayed her by stealing from her what was most important to her, just like the thief he had always been. Now she would never be able to fly again. She could never soar with the river Giants, nor hover above the clouds, nor feel her feathers catching the wind. Now she was grounded to the Earth, a slave to gravity like a common beast.

Above, a pair of sparrows glided through the air. She stopped in place to watch them disappear into the horizon. Her heart knotted in her chest, threatening more tears, but none came. All the tears in her body had already been spent.

Her fist tightened around her staff and she continued forward, trekking toward the only sanctuary she could think to find. Several miles beyond the South edge of the forest stood the dark ruins on the hill she found when she was a child years before. It was exactly the same as she remembered: black stones overgrown with dead vines, long since dead and left to rot.

She had been told little about these old grounds. From what she heard, it was a castle that belonged to a human king long ago, one who also made an attempt at conquering the Moors, until his kingdom was burned to ash by the fearsome Red Dragon, the creature who once defended the Faeries until his demise. None of the other Fae would tell any more out of lack of knowledge, or perhaps out of fear of revisiting such a dark period in their land's history.

Regardless of what may have happened then, this place's past meant nothing to her now. For now, it was a sanctuary, a place as cold and lifeless as she now felt. Most importantly, it was vacant. There wasn't a single sign of life for miles around, which was perfect; all she wanted now was to be left alone. The only creatures here were the gargoyles that sat perched on the pillars that circled the castle's perimeter, petrified in their protective stance, their wings spread wide and their fangs bared in permanent roars. Their placement obviously did little good to guard the former owners of this castle.

She sat in a stone seat on which a throne once stood. She had not moved from it once in the hours that she remained in it. She struggled at first to find a way to sit comfortably, but it was impossible; no matter what position she turned to, no matter where her body touched the stone, pain seared through her. She would never be able to feel comfort again. There would be no peace for her, not ever again.

* * *

Night had fallen and the moon had risen when her seclusion was disturbed. She first heard the "Caw!" of a crow, followed by the flapping of wings. She turned her head to see a large, fully-grown raven land on a ledge just a short distance from her. The bird cawed again, looking at her as if curious or confused by her presence there.

She did not want have any creature near her, much less one with such beautiful black wings. She blew a small but sharp breeze of wind in his direction. The rush of air threw him off balance from his perch. The raven quickly got the message and took flight, while Maleficent watched with pained envy.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the feathered beast perform a talent she no longer could, and leaned her head against the cold stone and waited for sleep to take her.

"Well, well. Look who has come to join me in my solitude."

The voice sounded like it belonged to a man, but was too deep, almost a growl. She looked all around to find the speaker, but saw no one. Then she noticed: one of the gargoyles was missing from it post. In the far shadows, she saw two small yellow glows from a pair of eyes. But Maleficent made to move to flee, or defend herself.

Looking towards it, she said, "If you are going to kill me, hurry on with it. I'm not afraid of dying."

The creature spoke again. "Why would I kill _you?"_

Then, the figure stepped forth from its concealment, allowing the full moon's light to make himself visible to her. He stood as tall as a Colossus, with a pair of broad wings like a bat's. His tall legs were covered by a flowing dark cloth tapered around his torso, his talon toes poking out from beneath, and a tail dragging behind him like a serpent slithering across the stone floor. Around his shoulders, he wore a black fur pelt that obviously belong to a bear, and on his head, the cap of a skull, the bone colored blood-red with a pair of curved black horns protruding.

"Hello… daughter."

* * *

**Here's the continuation of Maleficent's untold backstory, introducing Maleficent's father, Lysander (so named in the film's novelization), also known as "the Redcap", the most feared creature of the forest. **

**His character was included in the original script for "Maleficent" as Maleficent's own guardian angel (for lack of a better term), but was left out.**

**it actually took me a while to come up with a design for him because he wasn't detailed at all in the script, merely described as "very tall, dark, & fiercely handsome" and that he "greatly resembles Maleficent".**

**For my story, he will be playing a CRUCIAL role in Maleficent's rise to become "Mistress of all evil". Much, much more of him will be revealed in the following chapter soon to come. I think you're all going to like it.**

**Enjoy**


	2. Chapter 2

"No," she said, "It cannot be."

Though she knew it couldn't be possible, she still couldn't deny the obvious resemblances between them; the pallid color of skin, the long nails, the sharp cheekbones (although his were even sharper than hers), and his eyes, bright, burning yellow, just like hers. And with the black horns on his head, they looked even more alike.

She rose to stand before him, still without fear or intimidation despite him being nearly twice her height. She began to step round him, then he mirrored her actions, and then they were both circling each other, like two predators sniffing each other out.

"My father is dead."

"Is that what Ulla told you?" he said, one of his sharp black eyebrows perking up, "Her word is hardly a trustworthy one."

"I have heard of you," she then said, "You are the Redcap, aren't you? The dark creature who lurks in ruins, murdering all who enter his dwelling."

"Hehehe, so, you have heard of me," he chuckled darkly, "I have heard of you as well."

"Oh?" she remarked, raising her chin, "Pray tell."

"You are Maleficent, the niece of the current queen of the Fae, and the protector of the Moors. And just days ago, you destroyed the mortal king, Henry, and his entire army. Splendid."

"I am glad to see you," he then said after a pause, "The last time I laid eyes on you, you were still a youngling, and you were just outside of these very ruins, helping that little black bird learn to fly."

Her eyes ducked back down as the memory returned.

"You hadn't those lovely horns then," then said her father, "Nor those scars in your back. A wound from battle, I take it?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she hissed, turning her head to hide the sting in her eyes.

"Ahh, so something else, then?" he goaded her still, "Someone would have to get rather close to sever wings as strong as yours-"

"SILENCE!"

Her arm swung her staff, creating a powerful wind that hurtled Redcap through the air. Stones crumbled to powder as he crashed through a wall, disappearing as he fell beyond the sheer drop.

Realizing what she had done, Maleficent ran to the edge, looking over to find where he had fallen, but saw him nowhere. Then, she heard a whooshing sound to her left. She looked over and saw Redcap circling through the air on his great black wings, landing back on the exact place he stood before.

"Very well," he said, brushing the remaining rock crumbs from his pelt, "I will not ask again."

"You'd do well not to."

Turning back around to face him again, she then said, "So, all these years, for my whole life, you have been here?"

"I have no other home," he replied, "I have been banished from the Moorlands for all time because of my crimes."

"Crimes?" Maleficent inquired, "And what might that be?"

"Have you been told the story of the Red Dragon?" he then asked.

She had been told very little of him. All she knew was that he was once the guardian of the Moors, but he turned against Titania, the Faery queen, and was slain by the queen's eldest daughter, Zerena.

"You tell me," she replied.

"Well, once upon a time," he began, "the forests were under the protection of the Red Dragon, the last of his race and strongest and fiercest of them all. He flew at the command of the Fae queen, Titania, destroying kingdom after kingdom that dared to invade the Moors. But, over time, the queen saw that his power had grown too great to control. When she attempted to put an end to him, it was she who was ended. The queen's heir, her eldest daughter, your mother, Zerena, ascended to power and rose against him. She would have been killed as well, were it not for the aid of the Dragon's one and only son, the one with black wings and yellow eyes.

"This," he said, running his head across the top of his skull cap, "is all that remains of the Red Dragon."

"What happened then?"

"Then… I killed the queen," he said, his voice suddenly sounding with a slightly wistful tone, "More exactly, the child of mine that grew inside of her. In the moment she gave life to you, she lost her own. And when they saw your claws and the dark talons in your wings and the yellow in your eyes, there was no question that the father was I. Ulla took the throne immediately after her sister's passing. She wished to have me dead as well, but she knew that she was no match for me, so instead, I was exiled from the Moors to live out my days in exclusion and isolation."

She then understood: this was the real reason why Ulla forbade her from venturing beyond home, why she told her cautionary tales of the deadly "Redcap" who would surely slaughter her should she trespass into his home. The only danger was that she discover her father still very much alive, and learn of her true lineage as a child of a dragon.

But now, the sky was beginning to lighten again and stars were fading. Now, she had more important things to tend to.

Maleficent turned and began to walk away.

"Where are you going now?" asked her father.

"I have business to look after," she replied.

"It will be difficult getting there without wings, you know," he called after her, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"I don't need them," she said, too lowly for him to hear. The grass and flowers on the ground shriveled and blackened beneath her feet.

* * *

He watched her figure shrink smaller into the distance, leaving a trail of decay in her wake. His lips widened, for he knew this was nothing; she had not yet even come close to her full potential, and oh what then. He knew all it would take was the smallest bit of encouragement, and then…

Redcap chuckled at the possibilities. All he needed now was for the truth to be learned, and then the real fun would begin.

He placed his forefinger and thumb between his lips and whistled. The raven that had fled earlier, but not far, returned to perch on a ledge just beside Redcap.

"Follow her," he told the bird, "Circle 'round her, and keep your eyes on her, but she must not know that you are near. She is too proud to ask for or accept any help. Now go!"

The bird inclined his head in acknowledgement and he took off after the horned Faery without wings.

* * *

**how do you like Mal's dad so far?**

**i decided to make Maleficent's father a dragon, not just because of the cartoon, but because even though in the new film Mal doesn't become a dragon, she does retain a lot of dragon-like qualities: her claw-like nails, her talons in her wings, her horns (not all but most dragons have horns, which we see when Diaval gets turned into one), and of course her fiery yellow eyes, plus the fact that her magic manifests in smoke and flames. it also gives her the perfect duality that the script was aiming to give her; Faery and Dragon, nurturing and destructive, all in one =)**

**On a personal note, if they DO actually do a sequel (which would be AWESOME if they did!), who else thinks they should introduce dragons into the story, either as an antagonistic force or otherwise? maybe even introduce THIS concept that Mal herself is part dragon?  
they've somewhat established the existence of dragons in this universe (diaval couldn't become a creature that doesn't actually exist, right?), and besides, if they can have all the different breeds of Fae in this story, they can bring in just about any mythical creature they wanted (so long as it's prevalent to that region, and dragons are/were)**

**comment on your thoughts on bringing dragons back into Disney (they've been kinda absent for a while; the last i saw one was "Enchanted") via Maleficent**


	3. Chapter 3

The raven did as he was commanded. He trailed after Maleficent, circling high enough above her so that she could not see or hear him. She traveled down a beaten path through the forest. The plants continued to shrivel by her feet as she passed. Even the sky above was darkened by gray clouds which seemed to follow her above her head as the bird did.

The woman clearly possessed great power. Why would the Redcap have him watch over a creature so obviously lethal as she? When she had chased him from the ruins, he remained in close vicinity, choosing not to venture far from the place he called his home, and had heard Redcap calling this woman his daughter. Perhaps he was protective of her, though Redcap never seemed like the sentimental type to him. And he had known him since he was a child and returned to the ruins he was rescued from.

Eventually, she made her way out of the woods and was tromping through a maize field, heading in the direction of a grand castle in the distance. Is that why Redcap had him follow after her, he wondered, because she was traveling to that castle? Was she in danger of being there? Why would she even go there in the first place though?

He continued to follow, but as he glided over the field, he paused when he looked down to see all of the tasty-looking corn stalks below. He had visited this very field on many occasions before, and there were always delicious vegetables aplenty for him to munch on. No sense flying on an empty stomach. It had been a long trip, and it would be longer still; he figured he deserved a snack. So, he swooped down lower to pick off something for himself, only to be grounded, thrown face-first into a puddle of mud.

An all-too familiar sound of barking drew nearer. He flapped his wet wings, but a web of ropes weighed him down. He was trapped. All he could do was flop around in the mud as a pair of large dogs arrived, barking in his face.

* * *

"Caw! Caw! Caw!"

"Haha! I got ya!"

She ceased walking when she heard the cries of an injured bird, followed by gloating jeers of an old man. She craned her neck to peer through the stalks and saw a raven trapped under a net, surrounded by a pair of dogs and an old farmer who was clearly elated by his capture of the winged animal.

She almost felt pity for the helpless critter. It reminded her of the bird her father had mentioned before, the one she rescued when she was a child.

The farmer picked up a fat branch from the ground. "Wicked bird!" he bellowed as he ran up to the raven, raising the stick above his head.

She couldn't stand idly by and watch the bird be bludgeoned to death. She needed to act, and a deliciously wicked idea came to mind. She waved her hand, and a whiff of green magic smoked from her fingertips as she whispered, "Into a man."

The raven's body suddenly exploded in a cloud of black smoke. His body expanded, his small bird feet growing into a long pair of legs, his beak flattened into a nose, and his wings became arms.

As he grew, he rose to his feet, throwing the net off of his back. The dogs cowered back, whining, their tails tucking between their legs.

"I-It's a demon!" the farmer cried, and he took off in a sprint with his whimpering dogs following.

The raven looked at his wings, watching his feathers retracting into his flesh, transforming into fingers. His newly grown fingers touched to his face, feeling lips and a cartilage appendage instead of a beak. Something kept tickling his face. He reached to touch what it was, finding locks of dark hair, damp with mud. He was human, a man with pale skin sullied head to toe with mud.

His self-examination was interrupted by the sound of nearby footsteps. He turned to see the horned woman in green step out from behind the rows, staff in hand.

_She _did this to me, he realized.

Now that she was standing before him, he was able to have a good look at her for the first time. And what a strange-looking creature she was. Her cheeks were much sharper than any person's he had seen before. Her skin was unnaturally pale with an ashy, grayish shade. Then there were her eyes, bright yellow, magnetic and piercing, trapping his own gaze in them. Now that he saw her up close, he could see the strong resemblance between her and Redcap, and not just the horns.

Finally, he said to her, "What have ye done to my beautiful self?" His new voice came out slightly rough; he wasn't used to it yet. He also spoke with a wispy Irish brogue, the kind he always heard the humans around these parts speaking with.

"Would you rather I let them beat you to death?" she retorted. Her accent was different. Hers had a deeper, more eloquent lilt to it than his.

Looking over his shoulder at his filthy, wingless back, he thought it over and replied, "I'm not certain."

"Stop complaining," she hissed, "I saved your life."

Realizing his impudence, his eyes lowered. "Forgive me."

"What do I call you?" she then asked.

"Diaval," he answered, his bird name being translated by his human tongue.

This woman, the daughter of the Redcap, was so venomous that she brought death to the very land she walked on, yet somehow was capable of the kindness to spare his meaningless life. Perhaps she was not so wicked as she seemed. Then again, perhaps she only rescued him so that he _would_ be indebted to her. He remembered what Redcap had told him: she is too proud to ask for help. But now he owed her.

"In return for saving my life, I am your servant," he said, bowing his head down, "Whatever you need."

Maleficent never requested help from anybody before. She was always capable of caring for herself, being the strongest of her race. The only time she accepted aid was from the tree warriors when King Henry attempted to invade her land. But now she was crippled, handicapped, and this raven's, this Diaval's, power of flight could be valuable to her.

"Wings," she told him, "I need you to be my wings."

With a wave of her hand, the mud evaporated off his body, leaving him spotless. Once he was clean, she waved her staff and a gust of wind blew the clothing off of the nearby scarecrow, delivering the black cloak and trousers into Diaval's arms. With his new clothes in arms, he quickly dressed himself.

_Very nice_, he thought as he smoothed the cloth with his palms. He licked his fingers to straighten his feathery dark hair, then winced at the sting he felt when he touched his forehead. There was a cut on his face that curved above his brow to the corner of his right eye. He had gotten it when he had fallen under the net.

Seeing the wound, Maleficent stepped closer and reached her hand up to it, her fingers glowing bright green. He hissed again, anticipating the sting when she touched him.

"Hold still," she chided him.

Instead of pain, he felt a soothing warmth permeating his face as the tips of her fingers traced along the cut.

"There," she said as she lowered her hand, "Better?"

He reached up to touch where the cut had been, feeling only a crescent-shaped scar. He suddenly remembered, this was not the first time he had felt this kind of healing touch. The last time, he was just a babe, only just out of his mother's nest, and had broken his wing in his attempt to fly off on his own without any prior learning. He was certain he would be dead, until a winged young girl flew down to him. He remembered her hands closing around him, shutting out the sun and leaving him in darkness, but then he was enveloped in a warming green light, and the pain went away. When her hands uncovered him, his injured wing was mended, stronger than ever in fact. That same girl immediately afterwards showed him how to fly properly. He had followed her to her home, a wondrous land that he could never forget, only to be attacked by a larger winged woman, then chased away by the girl who saved him, never to return.

But this couldn't be the same girl… could it? The girl didn't have horns, and of course, she had wings, magnificent ones. But those eyes, like burning gold, were the same.

"Y-yes," he finally answered, "Thank you, mistress."

"Good. Now, come."

She began walking once again. Diaval quickly followed after her until he was walking at her side. It took him a moment or two to get used to walking on his new human feet. They were wide and long and flat, crunching the ground under each step. It also felt strange having his knees bending forwards instead of back like always. Balancing proved tricky for him, but walking alongside Maleficent, he imitated her (much like he did when he was young) and he straightened his back and quickly figured how to properly use his legs until he was walking like a proper human.

"Here is your task," she said, not turning her head to him as she continued to walk, "I need you to fly north to the castle. Find the king and his council. Watch and listen to the goings-on within. You shall be my eyes and ears, as well as wings. Understood?"

"Yes, mistress," Diaval replied, bowing his head.

"Then go," she commanded, and with a smoky wave of her hand, he instantly transformed back into a raven. "And do not fail me."

* * *

**i decided to add this extra history between Maleficent and Diaval to add some extra romantic tension between them, with him owing so much more to her than just his life, plus the irony of her having taught him how to fly only to depend on his flight later**

**i also couldn't resist adding the extra "Do not fail me" quote from the cartoon X)**

**reviews plz**


	4. Chapter 4

"Maleficent? Maleficent!"

He stood atop the tall hill, calling for her as he had always done. And as always, she came soaring down to meet him.

"Took you long enough," she greeted him as she landed. Though her words sounded as if she were annoyed, she couldn't contain the smile that shone on her face at the sight of him. Today was a special day for her, and she wanted him her for it.

He had coming to see her less and less as of late, gone for days, even weeks. This last time, he was absent for over a month. But no matter how long they were apart, as soon as they all laid eyes on each other again, all that time faded away.

"I couldn't miss your birthday," he said, his teeth flashing as he smiled at her.

Her heart melted at the sight of his crooked grin that she had seen so many nights in her dreams, dreams she wouldn't dare repeat to anyone else. He had grown so much from the scrawny lad he once was, his legs tall and sturdy, his hair long and curly and unkempt, his soft round face becoming lean and chiseled with a small growth of hair on his chin. To her, he was the most handsome creature she had ever seen.

"You remembered," she replied, her hand over her heart, "I'm touched."

He smirked at her cheek, something that she had clearly not grown out of.

His hand reached out to take hers. At the touch of his skin against hers, her heart fluttered, as did her wings, catching the breeze, and she was suddenly lifted into the air.

"Whoa," exclaimed Stefan as he tightened his grip to keep her grounded, taking her other hand as well, "Don't go flying off on me now."

"And what if I did?" she smirked, arching her sharp eyebrow.

"Well," he then said, pulling her even closer, "Then I'll just throw a chain 'round you and tie you down."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me."

His eyes narrowed, smoldering, as he made his blithe threat. There it was, the aura of danger he wore that Maleficent had always been attracted to, the rebellious princess she was.

"Alright, then," she said as she squeezed his hands, while her wings remained open so that she hovered on the wind.

"I wanted to bring you your gift before the day was through," he told her, nodding towards the sun that was beginning to lower.

He then moved both her hands into his left so that he could reach into his satchel, bringing forth a rose with scarlet petals.

"Happy birthday, Maleficent."

But when she reached to take it, one of the thorns pierced her fingertip. She yelped at the sting, retracting her hand to see a drop of blood beading from her finger.

"I am sorry," Stefan gasped as he pulled her hand to his mouth and took her finger between his lips to kiss the small wound.

"I don't mind," said Maleficent, failing at hiding the warm quiver in her voice.

"That wasn't your real present, anyway," he told her.

"Oh?" she said, her left eyebrow raising, "Where is it then?"

He answered by pulling her even closer to him, so close she could feel his breath on her lips, until his own touched them.

"I love you, Maleficent," whispered Stefan.

And her heart was alight. This was the moment that she had dreamed of for so long. Now here they stood on the borders between civilization and forest, in the twilight between day and night, man and Faery, two worlds, once separated by hate, now joined by love.

In the last moment of daylight, just before the sun had finally fallen below the horizon, she whispered back, "I love you, too."

* * *

But it was not to be. Gone were her days of bliss, of hopeful dreams of love. All of that ended for her when Stefan took advantage of her trust and stole her ability to fly forever.

"Caw!"

Her pensive thinking was thankfully ended by a familiar caw. Her eyes opened to see her new raven companion flying through the night towards the desolate castle. She rose to her feet, waving her fingers upon his arrival, transforming him from bird to man. Diaval ended falling into a heap on the floor while trying to land on his feet as he shifted. It would take a lot of practice before he would be used to this.

"Well?" she inquired as Diaval got up to his feet, "What news have you brought me?"

"Well," Diaval coughed, brushing the dirt off his coat, "Apparently, King Henry is dead. He passed in his sleep early this mornin'."

"Delightful," said Maleficent, a ghost of a smile creeping across her red lips, "What else?"

"Well, they've named their new king," he continued, "A man called Stefan. He was crowned in reward for slaying…"

He did not want to finish. As soon as he spoke the new king's name, he watched as Maleficent's smile vanish immediately to replaced by a fierce snarl and her eyes glow. He cautiously stepped farther back, fearful of her imminent wrath.

"He did _this_…" she hissed, looking over her shoulder at the stumps on her back, "to me…so he could be _king_."

As she spoke, she seemed to keep herself collected, but her hands began to glow, with green smoke rising from her fists clutching her staff. But then…

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHH!"

Her entire body exploded. Green flames shot upwards in a beam into the sky, swirling the clouds as she roared. But then suddenly, the flames retreated back into Maleficent. With her rage seemingly quelled, Diaval stepped forward once more.

"N-Now what?" he asked, "Mistress?"

She said nothing, but began to walk away. Before she could get far, Diaval called after her; she needed to know _everything _before she could act in any way.

"Mistress," he shouted, running after her, "There's more!"

She desisted and peered over her shoulder at him, her eyes still burning.

"What?!" she growled. Now was not the time for interruptions.

"Just before the ceremony," said Diaval, "Stefan was visited by a woman, a tall woman with bright yellow hair and wings on her back the color of lavender."

Maleficent's eyes widened. She knew exactly who he was talking about.

Diaval recounted the meeting that occurred between Stefan and the Faery woman. While he was seated on a higher ledge, she flew in through an open window into Stefan's chambers. After she made her entrance, Diaval swooped down to the windowsill to observe them.

"So, now it is you who is king," she said to him, "Congratulations."

She smiled upon him, but Stefan did not reciprocate. Instead, he frowned, his eyes fallen sullenly to the floor. He had indeed achieved what he spent his life dreaming of, but at what price?

The Faery approached him and lifted his chin so that he would meet her eyes.

"Don't look so downtrodden," she chided, "Everything has gone according to plan. You will live your days in luxury and power as King, and I will continue to rule without interference from my troublesome niece. Thanks to us, our worlds will finally become one."

Hearing that, Stefan was finally able to force his lips to form a smile. She held his face in both hands and she placed a kiss on his forehead.

"This is a great and joyous day, my son," she said, "Now go and claim your crown."

With that, she parted from him and turned back to the window. Diaval jumped out of the way before she flew out.

"Son?" Maleficent repeated in disbelief, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, mistress," said Diaval, "I know what I heard."

She couldn't believe this. It was bad enough to be betrayed and dismembered by the one she loved, but… Ulla? Stefan; her son?

She turned back, descending the stone steps until she was standing on grass. She heard Diaval's feet trampling after her. She waved her hand, turning him back into a bird, and he flew down to stand on a nearby rock

"FATHER?" she hollered.

Within seconds, Redcap's large shape came swooping down.

"You called?" he said.

"Is it true?" she demanded, "Is Stefan Ulla's son?"

Redcap breathed deeply, collecting the words to answer her. The truth had finally come out.

"Yes," he finally answered, "It is."

Maleficent was panting, pacing back and forth. Clouds began to swirl overhead as the wind began to pick up. She felt she would become ill.

"Ulla was always lustful for power," Redcap continued, "She always longed to be able to rule the human and Fae worlds, so she sired a child of both, and encouraged him to be her liaison in the castle. I told you she was untrustworthy."

So, this betrayal came not only from a lover, but her own blood. From her own kind. She knew Ulla despised her, but _this…_

Maleficent suddenly ceased her pacing, while the clouds above swelled and boomed. She then turned and stomped towards the forest. Seeing her departure, Diaval took flight to follow his mistress, while Redcap stayed behind with a smile on his face, watching his daughter head towards the Moors with a storm cloud over her head.

She would make them pay. She would make _both _of them pay.

* * *

**I kind of rushed through the last half of this so that i could go ahead and post it, but hopefully y'all will like it.**

**The next chapter is going to be f*cking SICK; hopefully you'll like it to ;)**


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